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A Breath Of Fresh Air

Barry | 09/04/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Parenthood swept onto the airwaves mid-season this past year and filled in a void on television. As the title of my review says, the show was a real breath of fresh air. I have never been one for procedurals and doctors and lawyers, and we get a lot of that on network TV. So, it was nice to see a family show come on that was just about people. It's not flashy, or gimmicky, or trying to be hip and edgy(which most other shows fall all over themselves trying to be and end up looking and feeling like everything else). Given it's pedigree (coming from a wonderful 1989 hit film and a cute 1990-91 series)from executive producers Ron Howard, Lowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel, it had a lot going for it. So, let's jump right in....

The series is not about the same family in the 1989 movie or previous series. It's a whole new family. They are the Bravermans, and they reside in Berkley, California. The patriarchs of the family are Zeek and Camille Braverman(Craig T. Nelson, Bonnie Bedelia), and the family extends to their four grown kids and their families. The oldest is Adam(Six Feet Under's Peter Krause), married to Kristina(Monica Potter), and has 2 kids, Haddie and Max. Next up is Sarah(Gilmore Girls' Lauren Graham), who is a single mother to two teenage kids, Amber(Mae Whitman)and Drew. Next is Crosby(Dax Shepard), a single guy working in the music business who has a girlfriend and lives on a houseboat. And lastly, there is the youngest of the four, Julia(Erika Christensen), a lawyer, who is married to stay at home dad Joel, and has a little girl named Sydney.

Because it was a mid season show, the first season consists of only 13 episodes, instead of the usual 22 or so. Still, season 1 packs a lot into the shorter seasons. I won't go into detail for every episode, but here are some of the stuff you can expect in the Braverman's debut season. The "Pilot" episode establishes the setting and the characters, including Sarah's return home(and moving in with her parents with her kids), and Crosby learning he has a son he never knew from a previous relationship. Episode 2 is "Man Versus Possum", an episode that has Adam and Kristina coming to terms with the fact their son Max has Asperger's Syndrome, Autism, and all that details. It's a strong storyline and is a major focus all year long. Sarah is also job hunting in this episode. Episode 4, "Wassup", is the season's first really great episode, with Adam and Kristina going out of their way to find out about their daughter Haddie's secret relationship. It gets very comical elsewhere when Sarah(and then others)try to deal with Drew becoming "a man". Jason Ritter begins a guest arc in episode 5, "The Situation", playing Amber's teacher, who strikes a chord with Sarah. Julia and Joel fear Sydney may have Asperger's in episode 8, "Rubber Band Ball", where Adam learns of a financial situation his father is in. Sarah learns of her father's situation in episode 10, "Namaste No More". A 3 episode arc begins when Amber betrays Haddies in episode 11, "Solace". The last two episodes of the season, "Team Braverman" and "Lost And Found" continue to deal with the two cousins' fallout, as well as Crosby's future with his son, and the Braverman patriarchs' problems. There is much more here, but that would be spoiling.

Season one of "Parenthood" is a delight. The "Pilot" episode was a strong debut, but it was a little unsure of what it was. While the 1989 movie had no problem balancing the delicate act of comedy, drama, and family dynamics, the pilot isn't quite as assured as you hoped. A little more on the drama than the comedy. Thankfully, it gets better and becomes stronger and more sure of itself with episode 2. From there, the show grows and becomes it's own thing. It wonderfully balances the daily lives and schedules of a family, with the right helpings of drama, heart, warmth, and humor. It doesn't hurt that the writing is great, but it would be nothing if it didn't have the right cast bringing it to life. The cast is wonderful. Each character is their own person and the actors bring each to life with his or her own personality. Not surprisingly, Krause and Graham are the stand outs, but it must be said that Dax Shepard is the biggest surprise out of the cast. He is funny, but deals with his newfound parenthood with a lot of heart and honesty. Seriously, everyone here is great. One of the best casts currently on TV.

"Parenthood" is a wonderful show. Season 1 was a winner and great way to be introduced to the large Braverman clan. I can't wait for season 2."

On the pulse of the American family

Betsy | Natick, MA United States | 09/12/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I hate sappy dramas like Brothers and Sisters with ridiculous plot lines, but this series is a breath of fresh air, and deals with real life issues and interpersonal relationships. It's a perfect balance of drama and humor, with characters both multi-dimensional and complex. It shows the daily struggles and triumphs of families today, with issues ranging from school girl bullying, single motherhood, Asperger's Syndrome, and more. The writing is smart and witty, and the actors are extremely talented at portraying the complexities of their characters. They are all outstanding but most notable are Amber Holt (played by Mae Whitman), Max Braverman (played by Max Burkholder), and Adam Braverman (played by Peter Krause).

I think this is one of the smartest shows on TV."

Good show, but where are all the DVD extras?

Smiley Lee | Massachusetts, USA | 09/26/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Parenthood is a beautiful little show. It's not shooting for the stars, but does a nice job capturing day-to-day moments in a close-knit, slightly manic family. While it has some uneven moments, as the show tries to find its footing during a short (13 episode) first season, each episode manages to have moments that ring true and are moving. Plus, each episode has a way of leaving the viewer feeling better for watching.

Some highlights:

* Peter Krause and Monica Potter play a loving, close husband and wife who have each other's backs, are each other's support system and enjoy each other's company. Not quite as epic as FNL's Taylors, but still a refreshing change from so many other TV couples. And with the stories laid out in the first season, combined with these skilled actors, there is lots of potential for upside in this positive portrayal of married life.

* Dax Shepard and Tyree Brown are really enjoyable as Crosby and his newly discovered son. Together, they have real charm and chemistry and are fun to watch.

* Mae Whitman is fantastic as teenaged Amber; even though her storyline swings toward melodrama, her performance never does. Actually, in general, all the younger Bravermens are interesting characters in their own right, with their own quirks and styles and all well played. There's not a bad child actor in the bunch.

* Wonderful music selection throughout the episodes

The show's not perfect: the naturalistic, improv friendly shooting style sometimes brings out really wonderful scenes, but other times feels like the writers didn't give enough structure to support a scene. And in a related issue, the noisy, boisterous, everybody-talking-at-once style, while true-to-life, sometimes distracts from the scenes.

The pace and tone of the show can be uneven, swerving from quieter, more thoughtful moments, to manic conflict, to comedic scenes very quickly, and some of the "comedic" elements seem a bit forced.

Also, with so many characters, there's a *lot* of story, some of it played out too fast, or with not enough depth. And some characters disappear for large chunks of time (ie Bonnie Bedelia's Camille and Miles Heizer's Drew) even when they could have some interesting things going on. I'd seen a review of the show that summarizes it well. To paraphrase: This is a strong, character-rich, well-acted show that should be character driven, but seems to be written as a plot-driven show, with serial elements sometimes overwhelming the characters or making things feel rushed.

Overall, the show is definitely worth checking out. There's a lot to entertain and to be appreciated. Plus there is a lot of promise for future seasons. Just relax and enjoy it: don't expect perfection, but expect to be genuinely moved a couple of times an episode.

My biggest complaint with the Season 1 DVD's is the lack of special features. They are below what would be expected for a show like this. There is only one episode commentary, a handful of deleted scenes and one featurette. No cast commentary, writer commentary on only one episode and only from the creator. No outtakes. It just feels like not a lot of effort went into making the DVD release something special."